Fluid flow control device



E. E. FREY FLUID FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1958,

fizz/en for. ElmerE. Hey.

A43 me a Elmer E. Frey, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Kittie Manufacturing 00., Los Angeles, Calif., a. corporation of California Application January 8, 1938, Serial No. 184,000

15 Claims.

My invention relates to fluid flow control devices and more particularly to devices of that character for use in conjunction with orchard heaters and the like.

It is desirable to have orchard heaters, for instance, burn at a uniform rate and consequently it is important to obtain a constant and uniform rate of fuel flow from the reservoir to the burner. Unless some effective means of compensation is provided, the rate of fuel flow decreases as the head decreases.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a simple and effective flow control device wherein the fuel flow remains constant and uniform regardless of variations in the'liquid level in the tank.

Another object is the provision of a convenient and effective means for selectively adjusting the control valve to deliver a given constant flow of fuel.

Another object is the provision of novel and useful means for supporting the fuel outlet valve in a fixed relation to the liquid level in the fuel reservoir.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in the elements and combinations hereinafter described and claimed. For the purpose of the following description I shall describe a presently preferred adaptation of the invention, and in doing so I shall make reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a. view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the outlet end of the device;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of adjustment mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown a liquid reservoir in having a removable cover ll. Reservoir i9 is supported on legs l2, which legs are secured in position by angle irons i5.

ends of which bar are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the respective float members. To the bottom of the floats there is welded or otherwise suitably secured a weight member 33. While floats 30, 3! are typically round, hollow, sealed metal containers, they may be in any suitable form and of other suitable materials. Weight 33 is sufiiciently heavy to partially submerge the floats as shown in Fig. 1.

An upright plate 35 is pivotally mounted at its bottom on bar 32, being held thereon against longitudinal movement by flanges 3B. As best shown in Figs, 2 and 3, plate 35 has side flanges 3'1, 38 which extend at right angle to the back portion 39, flange 38 having an extension part 40 disposed in a plane parallel to that of back 39. Flange 38 is provided with a row of vertically spaced horizontally disposed slots or teeth 42 adapted to receive the teeth 46 of toothed Wheel 45. A vertically disposed slot 43 is provided in the back 39 of plate 35, in which slot there is carried a liquid inlet tube 50 which passes through and is secured within the hub 5i of wheel 45. Spaced from the inlet end of tube 50 is a restricted opening 52 and the inlet end of said tube is provided with a screen or filter cloth 55 held in place on the end of the tube by a ring 56. 7

To the other end of tube 50 there is secured one end of a flexible metal tube 60, which latter tube leads to the outlet member, to be hereinafter described. Reservoir IU has an outlet opening 66 in which there is secured a stuffing box consisting of a screwthreaded nipple 68 having annular flange 61, and a packing 69 held in place by cap 10. Members 68, 69 and 10 are provided with a round central opening in which is fitted tightly but rotatably, an outlet tube 15 having an annular flange '16 adjacent its inner end to act as a stop against outward movement of the tube through the stuffing box. The respective end portions of tube have interior threads 78, '19. End 19 threadedly receives nipple member 80, in the bore 8| of which is secured the outlet end of marble tube 6U. (outlet extension tube at has one of its ends screwthreaded into end 18 of tube 15 and its other end leads to the burner.

Firmly secured around the outlet end of tube '15, by clamp ill or other suitable means, is the manual adjusting handle 90, which handle also serves as an indicator or pointer to indicate the setting of the device by cooperation with a scale, not shown, applied on the exterior of the reservoll adjacent the handle.

The operation of the device of Figs. 1 to 4, in-

clusive, as above described, is as follows. Assuming that it is desired to feed say one gallon of fuel oil per hour from the reservoir to the burner, handle 90 is turned to that indicia on the indicating scale. Such movement of the handle acts to rotate tube '15, nipple B0, flexible tube til, tube 50 and wheel 45. As wheel 45 is rotated its teeth 66 cooperate with slots 42 to raise or lower the inlet tube 50 along vertical slot 43 until the inlet end of tube 50 is positioned the desired distance beneath the liquid level Hi. The device is then retained in that position by virtue of the friction flt of tube 75 in stumng box 65. 50 adjusted, the liquid inlet tube 50 is subjected to a uniform head regardless of variations in the quantity of fuel in the reservoir, because as the liquid level falls the floats carry the inlet member along in a position in fixed relation to the liquid level.

A variational form of device is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. There, in lieu of the vertical slot 13, wheel 45 and teeth 42, the raising and lowering of the inlet tube 50a are effected in a somewhat different manner, which will now be described. Tube 50a moves in an arcuate slot I provided in plate Hll. An arm I02 is secured at one end to tube 50a and is pivotally connected at its other -end to the plate lili by means of pivot pin )3.

The sides of plate lili are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the respective floats 30a and Ella. A weight member 33a is secured to the bottom of plate llll by rivets I05 or in any other suitable manner. Tube 50a is provided with a restricted inlet opening 52a and its inlet end is protected by screen 55a held thereon by ring 56a. Thus as flexible tube Bil is rotated, as before described, by turning handle 90, the inlet tube 50a is moved along the arcuate slot I00 to the desired position.

While in the foregoing description of one adaptation of my invention, I have resorted to considerable details or" construction and combination of parts, I have done so only for illustrative purposes, and I wish it understood that various modiflcations may be made in selection of parts and combinations thereof without departing from the broader scope of the invention as defined by the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a liquid reservoir having a float member adapted to float upon the liquid in the reservoir, a discharge tube having its inlet end supported by the float, said inlet end being movable with respect to the liquid level in the reservoir by virtue of rotation of the tube.

2. In a liquid reservoir having a float member adapted to float upon the liquid in the reservoir, a flexible discharge tube having an inlet end and a discharge end, means on the discharge end for manually rotating the tube, the inlet end of the tube being supported by the float and movable with respect to the liquid level in the reservoir by virtue of rotation of the tube.

3. In combination with a liquid reservoir having a rotatable flexible outlet tube, a float member adapted to float on the liquid in the reservoir and an adjustable support member carried by the float and operable by rotation of the flexible tube to raise and lower the inlet end of the flexible tube with respect to the liquid level in the reservoir.

4. In combination with a liquid reservoir having a rotatable flexible outlet tube, a float momber adapted to float on the liquiclin the reservoir and an adjustable support member carried by the iloat and operable by rotation of the flexible tube to raise and lower the inlet end of the flexible tube with respect to the liquid level in the reservoir, and a handle exterior of the reservoir and operatively connected to the flexible tube for manually rotating said tube.

5. In combination with a liquid reservoir having a flexible outlet tube, a float member adapted to float on the liquid in the reservoir, a slotted plate carried by the float through the slot of which the inlet end of the flexible tube projects and along which slot said tube is movable, means operable by rotation oi the tube to move said tube along said slot so as to position the inlet end of the tube in adjusted relation to the liquid level in the reservoir.

6. In combination with a liquid reservoir having a flexible outlet tube, a float member adapted to float on the liquid in the reservoir, a slotted plate carried by the float through the slot of which the inlet end of the flexible tube projects and along which slot said tube is movable, means operable by rotation of the tube to move said tube along said slot so as to position the inlet end of the tube in adjusted relation to the liquid level in the reservoir, and means for retaining said tube in.

adjusted position in said slot.

7. In combination with a liquid reservoir having a flexible outlet tube, a float member adapted to float on the liquid in'the reservoir, a slotted plate carried by the float through the slot of which the inlet end of the flexible tube projects and along which slot said tube is movable, means operable by rotation of the tube to move said tube along said slot so as to position the inlet end of the tube in adjusted relation to the liquid level in the reservoir, and friction means for retaining said tube in adjusted position in said slot.

8. In combination with a liquid reservoir having a flexible outlet tube, a float member adapted to float on the liquid in the reservoir, a slotted plate carried. by the float through the slot of which the inlet end of the flexible tube projects and along which slot said tube is movable, means operable by rotation of the tube to move said tube along said slot so as to position the inlet end of the tube in adjusted relation to the liquid level in the reservoir, means for retaining said tube in adjusted position in said slot, and a handle mem-- ber exterior of the reservoir and operatively connected to the tube to rotate the tube to adjusted position.

9. In combination with a liquid reservoir hav ing an outlet opening, a rotatable discharge tube frictionally mounted in said outlet opening, a flexible tube firmly secured at its outlet end to the inlet end of the discharge tube, a float member adapted to float upon the liquid in the reservoir, means carried by the float for supporting the inlet end of the flexible tube in adjusted position with respect to the liquid level in the reservoir, and means operable by rotation of the discharge tube for adjusting the position of the inlet end of the flexible tube.

10. In combination with a liquid reservoir having an outlet opening, a rotatable discharge tube irlotionaily mounted in said. outlet opening, a flexible tube firmly secured at its outlet end to the inlet end of the discharge tube, a float member adapted to float upon the liquid in the resenvoir, a toothed and vertically slotted plate carried by the float, an inlet tube movable along said slot, to the discharge end of which tube the inlet end of the flexible tube is firmly secured, and means for moving said tube along said slot, said last mentioned means including a. toothed wheel 7;;

whose teeth engage the teeth in said plate upon rotation of the wheel, said wheel being operatively connected to and rotatable by said rotatable discharge tube.

11. In combination with a liquid reservoir having an outlet opening, a rotatable discharge tube irictionally mounted in said outlet opening, a flexible tube firmly secured at its outlet end to the inlet end of the discharge tube, a float member adapted to float upon the liquid in the reservoir, a toothed and vertically slotted plate carried by the float, an inlet tube movable along said slot, to the discharge end of which tube the inlet end of the flexible tube is flrmly secured, and means for moving said tube along said slot, said last mentioned means including a toothed wheel whose teeth engage the teeth in said plate upon rotation of the wheel, said wheel being operatively connected to and rotatable by said flexible tube.

12. In combination with a liquid reservoir having an outlet opening, a rotatable discharge tube frictionally mounted in said outlet opening, a flexible tube firmly secured at its outlet end to the inlet end of the discharge tube, a float member adapted to float upon the liquid in the reservoir, a toothed and vertically slotted plate carried by the float, an inlet tube movable along said slot, to the discharge end of which tube the inlet end of the flexible tube is firmly secured, and means for moving said tube along said slot, said last mentioned means including a toothed wheel whose teeth engage the teeth in said plate upon rotation of the wheel, said wheel being operatively connected to and rotatable by said rotatable discharge tube, and a handle exterior of the reservoir and operatively connected to the rotatable discharge tube for manually rotating the discharge tube. 4

13. In combination with a liquid reservoir having an outlet opening, a rotatable discharge tube frictionally mounted in said outlet opening, a flexible tube firmly secured at its outlet end to the inlet end of the discharge tube, a float member adapted to float upon the liquid in the reservoir, a toothed and vertically slotted plate carried by the float, an inlet tube movable along said slot, to the discharge end of which tube the inlet end of the flexible tube is firmly secured, and means for moving said tube along said slot, said last mentioned means including a toothed wheel whose teeth engage the teeth in said plate upon rotation of the wheel, said wheel being operatively connected to and rotatable by said flexible tube, and a handle exterior of the reservoir and operatively connected to the flexible tube to manually rotate the flexible tube.

14. A device of the character described comprising a liquid reservoir having an outlet opening, a rotatable discharge tube frictionally fitting said outlet opening, a pair of float members adapted to float upon the liquid in said reservoir, a spacing member secured to and spacing said floats apart, a toothed and slotted plate pivotally secured to said spacing member, a liquid inlet tube slidably carried in said slot, a toothed wheel secured to said liquid inlet tube, a flexible tube secured at one end to the outlet end of said liquid inlet tube and secured at its other end to the inlet end of said rotatable discharge tube, and a handle exterior of the reservoir and operatively connected to the rotatable discharge tube to manually rotate said last mentioned tube, said flexible tube and said Wheel to cause the teeth of said wheel to engage the teeth in the plate to move said liquid inlet tube along said slot.

15. A device of the character described comprising a liquid reservoir having an outlet opening, a rotatamischarge tube frictionally fltting said outlet opening, a pair of float members adapted to float upon the liquid in said reservoir, an upright plate connected at its respective sides to said respective floats, an arcuate slot in said ELMER E. FREY. 

